Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1887-12-01
FUN AT ANNAPOLIS
How the Naval Cadets Relieve the aFouOe-
ony OF Their Existence.

hoPs are given by the officers and
cadets alternately every Saturday
! night. but when contagious disease
breaks out in the family of an officer
his quarters are quarantined and he is
not allowed to attend the hops The
measles broke out in the family of Il
very original Lieutenant, only one or
two OF his little ones being taken sick.
Fearing that he would be quarantined
from the hops for some time if he
allowed the disease to pursue its own
course and take effect on his children
one by one, he conceived the brilliant
idea of putting the sick and well ones
together, so that all would be sick at
once, and thus shorten the time of
quarantine. Happily no serious results
followed this device and the officer was
soon attending the hops again.
When the cadets are reported for any
breach OF discipline they have the priv
ilege OF making any excuse they may
see mt, though it must be brief and to
the point One cadet was reported for
unmilitary conduct in raising his hand
In the ranks. He submitted this ex-
cuse: bug in ear The excuse was
satisfactory. though he was warned not
to repeat the offense.
There Is Lieutenant attached to the
academy as Officer-in-charge whose
duty 1t is to inspect the cadets rooms
every morning. The Lieutenant is very
absent-minded, and on one occasion he
brought his Observation-Disclosures into
requisition, much to the amusement
of cadet. While on his tour of
inspection one morning he found an I'M
authorized article hanging on the wall
In one of the rooms. "What is that doing
on the wall?" he asked. THE wall
has been there all the time, sir" re-
piled the cadet. Turning to the mas
ter-at-arms, he asked whether that wall
had bHen there before. The sstonished
man replied that it had, and the Lieu
tenant walked out satisfied with the in
spection. Passing on to the next room
there was a cadet visiting contrary to
regulations. The cadet had time before
the officer entered to get behind the
wardrobe door, but his feet were in
sight beneath the door After looking
around the room the officer espied the
shoes and reported the cadet who lived
Ill the room for allowing his shoes TO
be out of the proper place, which was
under the foot of his bed, and he
walked out, feeling that he had con-
scientiously performed his official duty
The cadets are required to keep the
floor of their rooms clearly swept. One
Sunday morning the commandment was
making an inspection of the quarters.
Entering one room he saw that the
floor was not very clearly swept, and
spoke to the cadet about it, The cadet
replied that the floor had been swept
that morning. The commandant was
dressed in clean white suit, and to
show that it was really dusty sat down
on the floor, and getting up he turned
around and asked the cadet: What
do you think now?" The cadet replied:
II think you are COMPOUNDED fool"
The order was issued the next day for
the cadets dismissal.
Practical jokes are seldom played by
the cadets on the officers, but last JAN
uary some of them thought they would
have little fun at the expense of the
late Lieutenant Danenhower, who was
eral of them got together one night
and rugged out dummy cadet, putting
on an old undress suit, shoes, cap and
every thing complete. They then
lifted the dummy over the balustrade
and dropped it from the fourth floor.
at the same time raising a dreadful
cry. At the foot of the stairs stands
marine. who acts as messenger to the
officer-in-charge. The cadets never
thought of the marine being under
meath. and down went the dummy
striking the poor man and nearly scar
ing him to death. The cry brought
Lieutenant Danenhower to the scene,
and, being nearly blind, he took the
dummy to be dead cadet, or pretty
nearly so. The dazed marine was dis
patched in great haste to the hospital
for doctors. Soon four stalwart blue
Jackets came with a stretcher to carry
the supposed dead or dying cadet to
the hospital, and behind them hurried
all the doctors in the yard. The
dummy was Immediately put on the
stretcher and taken to the hospital,
where the doctors found out the true
state of affairs. The doctors were the
only ones who did not enjoy the joke.
though perhaps it might not have been
so funny for the cadets had they been
caught. Buffalo Courier.
-Judge-"Of course, you have an
excuse ready" Prisoner-''I have.
YOUR honor. 1 was full. but it was for
medical purposes. Whisky is good for
snake bites Judge-''Were you Bit
ten by snake?'' Prisoner-''No; but,
your honor, an ounce of prevention is
worth a Mound of cure.'o Judge